Welcome to this week's issue -- Back To School. After weathering an electrical storm that fried our internet connection AND spending yesterday on the acupuncturist's table for a bad back, I am delighted to finally be able to bring you this issue!

Last year we focused mainly on clothing and outerwear for this issue. This time around, we are showing you some fabulous accessories to make the start of your little one's school year special.

Sending your toddler to school for the first time and even to daycare can be emotionally taxing on you both. The Pre-School Backpacks from www.potterybarnkids.com will surely put a smile on both of your faces as you get ready each day. An Elephant, Bear and Monkey are available and will be a comfort for these tiny tots to tote a soft cuddly friend along with them.

Whether at school or daycare, kids lose things. Make identifying your child's clothing, shoes, backpacks, lunch bags, and whatever else they may tote with them everyday, easier with the Ultimate Back To School Combo Label Pack from www.mabelslabels.com. They come in a wonderful array of color choices and you have many options to pick from for an icon on the tag as well. Visit their site to customize your child's very own labels!

Make mealtimes away from home special with delightfully designed and ecologically friendly Fabkins Cloth Napkins from wwww.fabkins.com. They come in six different themes that reflect kids' interests, and are sold in packs of five individually designed cloth napkins. Be sure to visit their site to learn how to pack a waste-free lunch box this year.

Active toddlers need good shoes for their growing feet. Finding stylish and well made shoes for little ones can be a challenge. Look no further! Pediped, one of our favorite shoemakers for babies through toddler has launched their new line of shoes exclusively for the active toddler's foot. Pediped Flex, available at www.pediped.com, offers all the stylish designs from the original Pediped styles but with a flexible rubber sole. Their ultra flexible Flex Zones provide maximum flexibility and support natural foot motion and their Flex Fit System offers two sets of insoles which allows the child to get longer use of the shoe. We think all these features make these shoes worth every penny!

We hope you've enjoyed this issue and appreciate your patience while we've gotten back on our feet -- literally! We look forward to bringing you next week's issue -- Mother's Helpers.